Vehicle communications

• US 9,251,631 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Cars Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Thompson, Simon, Thomas, Peter, Pickering, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US13/699,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20130211623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 340/438, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.26, 340/539.27, 340/540, 340/541, 340/542, 340/545.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/28 Door position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 : for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 : operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 : keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 : Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 : Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 : Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 : operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 : Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method and apparatus 10 for interacting remotely with a vehicle 12 comprising data transfer means 22 for wirelessly communicating messages between a mobile communications device 18 operable by a user and a vehicle databus 24 located within the vehicle 12. Optionally, the data transfer means 22 is arranged to wirelessly communicate with the mobile communications device 18 via a web server 14, a web portal or other internet-connected host system. The data transfer means 22 may be arranged to wirelessly communicate with the web portal via a GSM or other cellular communications network 13. After the vehicle engine has stopped, communication of messages may continue on an intermittent basis, or may be suspended after a predetermined time has elapsed or when the vehicle battery voltage reaches a predetermined threshold. High priority messages may be communicated at any time after the vehicle engine has stopped.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and/or controlling a vehicle comprising:

a data transfer unit that receives data signals transmitted on a vehicle data bus relating to the status and/or operation of one or more vehicle systems or devices, the data transfer unit being operable to convert the data signals into data messages corresponding to the data signals; and

a transceiver provided onboard the vehicle that wirelessly transmits the data messages relating to one or more of said received data signals to a mobile communications device arranged to allow access to the display of the data messages to a user, the transceiver being arranged to transmit the information relating to the one or more received data signals from the vehicle to the mobile communications device via a web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system,

wherein the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system is arranged to receive control messages from the mobile communications device and to transmit said control message to the transceiver, and wherein the transceiver is arranged to receive control messages from the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system, the data transfer unit being arranged to convert the received control messages into data signals and transmit the same onto the data bus for controlling one or more vehicle systems, functions or devices, and

wherein the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system is arranged to receive a status request control message from the mobile communications device and to transmit said status request to the transceiver and wherein the transceiver is arranged to receive a status request control message from the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system, the data transfer unit being arranged to convert the received status request control message into data signals and transmit the same onto the data bus for determining the status of one or more vehicle systems, functions or devices.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transceiver is arranged to communicate with the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system via a GSM or other cellular communications network, wherein the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system is arranged to communicate with the mobile communications device via a GSM or other cellular communications network.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle bus is a CAN bus and wherein the data transfer unit is arranged to receive CAN messages transmitted onto the CAN bus by vehicle systems or subsystems and to store said messages in a memory.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device comprises a software program, application or graphical user interface for displaying to the user information relating to the status and/or operation of the vehicle based on the received information.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the corresponding data message comprises a format which is reconfigurable by the user.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data transfer unit and the transceiver are arranged to transmit a corresponding data message comprising a plurality of vehicle status parameters when the vehicle engine is stopped.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the corresponding data message includes information relating to any of vehicle climate, vehicle cabin temperature, exterior temperature, air-conditioning status, seat heater status, screen demister status, steering wheel heater status, vehicle security state, vehicle location, door status, bonnet status, tailgate status, alarm status, immobiliser status, vehicle position, amount of fuel used during journey, fuel economy attained, time at idle, time at optimum speed, route start and end points, distance travelled, route taken, time of journey, average speed, maximum speed attained, odometer reading, fluid level status such as oil level, fuel level, washer fluid level, coolant level, vehicle battery voltage, coolant temperature, vehicle lock status, vehicle door status, tyre pressure status, exterior lamp status.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein, after the vehicle engine is stopped, transmission of data messages and reception of control messages by the transceiver is suspended when the vehicle battery voltage reaches a predetermined threshold.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein transmission of data messages and reception of control messages by the transceiver is suspended after a first predetermined period after the vehicle engine is stopped.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein transmission of data messages and reception of control messages by the transceiver continues intermittently for a second predetermined period after the first predetermined period has elapsed.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transceiver is responsive to transmit data messages having a high priority at any time after the vehicle engine has stopped.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transceiver is operable intermittently to transmit data messages and receive control messages based on historical usage thereof by the user.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user is an authenticated user.

14. A method of interacting remotely with a vehicle comprising:

sending a status request control message remotely from a mobile communications device of a remote user to a transceiver located within the vehicle, translating the control message into a corresponding control data signal and transmitting said control data signal onto a vehicle data bus located within the vehicle and controlling at least one of a vehicle system, vehicle function or vehicle device, thereby, and

receiving a status signal relating to status or operation of one or more vehicle systems or devices from a vehicle data bus located within the vehicle, converting the received data signal into a data message and wirelessly communicating the status message from a transceiver located within the vehicle to a remote user, wherein the transceiver is arranged to communicate with the mobile communications device via a web server, a web portal or other internet-connected host system.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein at least one of the mobile communications device and the transceiver is arranged to communicate with the web server, web portal or other internet-connected host system via a GSM or other cellular communications network.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising the steps of measuring the vehicle battery voltage level after the vehicle engine has stopped and suspending transmission of data messages and reception of control messages by the transceiver when the measured vehicle battery voltage reaches a predetermined threshold.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising the steps of measuring time after the vehicle engine has stopped and suspending transmission of data messages and reception of control messages by the transceiver after a first predetermined period of time has elapsed.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 comprising the steps of measuring time after the end of the first predetermined period of time has elapsed and intermittently transmitting data messages or receiving control messages by the transceiver for a second predetermined period of time after the first predetermined period of time has elapsed.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 comprising the step of transmitting data messages having a high priority from the transceiver at any time after the vehicle engine has stopped.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17 comprising the step of operating the transceiver intermittently to transmit data messages and receive control messages based on historical usage thereof by the user.